Marcia Pruchinsky of Lorain, right, and Linda Dell of Akron were among people protesting a North Ridgeville humane officer's shooting of a caged, baby raccoon.Michael Sangiacomo

NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio – Residents upset over the shooting of a caged, baby raccoon and last year's killing of five kittens by the city's humane officer scored a partial victory Monday night when Police Chief Mike Freeman said nuisance animals would be taken away and killed, not killed at the site.

"From now on, we will take the cage away, remove it from the property and dispose of it (the animal) elsewhere," Freeman said. "The boy does not need to see this violence. There is enough violence in the world. We'll be able to do our job and not offend people."

Freeman's words came after a protest by residents and non-residents who were angered that the city's humane officer, Barry Accorti, shot and killed a baby raccoon in front of two boys, ages 8 and 10. Last June, Accorti shot and killed five kittens at a home in the city, which generated world-wide protest. Freeman and the city supported Accorti then and now.

Freeman said Accorti denied that the boys were present at the time of the shooting, but at the meeting the 10-year-old boy and his father stood up and said that was not true.

"My son was 15 feet away when the shooting occurred," said Tim Sherrill. "They (Accorti and the property owner who called the city to complain about the raccoons) saw him standing there. My nephew was murdered in Key West and our family is dealing with that. For him to do what he did to an animal that was in the cage is just not acceptable. We don't teach our children to kill animals. We're from Key West and we have respect for animals. My son said Accorti did not stick the barrel in the cage, but stood above it and shot into it."

Freeman said he would not accuse the young boy of lying, but stuck by Accorti's version of events.

This was the part of the evening that angered residents who wanted something to be done about Accorti.

"They placated us," said Michelle Kearsey of North Ridgeville. "Accorti still has his job even though he is a man with some psychological issues that clearly need to be addressed. He needs to be fired. If the mayor won't listen and council won't listen, then it's time to vote them out of there."

Kearsey was also angry that Council President Kevin Corcoran once again said council would not answer individual questions because of time constraints. Corcoran did not say they could not answer because of by-law regulations, which he has said in other meetings. A review of the bylaws show that's not the case.

"How can they sit there and listen to residents' complaints and not have the courtesy to respond to us?" Kearsey asked. "I've never heard of thing in any other community and we should not stand for it."

Councilman Dennis Boose proposed that council answer questions from residents. No one on council seconded the motion and it died without a vote.

Freeman said that in the past year the city's humane officers answered 800 calls for nuisance animals. Someone shouted out, "And did they kill every one of them?" Freeman said he did not know, but said "If you take the animal somewhere else, and it is diseased, it will spread the disease."

Pat Fogo, founder of the Lorain County animal welfare group, Pooch Patrol, said she is happy that the city has changed its policy but sad that it took the shooting and a protest to force them to do it.

"I have spoken to many people who said they saw Accorti shooting groundhogs, squirrels and other animals," she said. "These people are afraid to speak out. You have a man who is frightening people."

Carrie Graham said Accorti "has issues. He was so focused on killing that raccoon that he did not see the 8 and 10 year-old boys nearby and did not hear a woman shout that there were children in the yard."

She said there was no reason to shoot.

"What is Accorti going to do next to harm this city," she asked. "You need to get him out of office and do it now before something happens. I will not adopt out another pet to another in North Ridgeville until Accorti is out of here."

Accorti could not be reached for comment. Chief Mike Freeman noted that in 20 years, no one has ever been injured by an officer who shot an animal. "I want you to bring me the names of people who say they saw one of my officers recklessly shooting animals. It will be investigated."

The only resident to speak out in favor or Accorti was city resident Joanne Demcheck, who said, "I resent people coming from out of town telling us how to run our city. I've had skunks and raccoons in my yard. I think that the city can handle its own problems without the help of anything else."

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